Tag: Politicians

With homelessness in New York City being worse than what it was during the Great Depression, you would think that it would be a major issue in the upcoming New York elections. This can also be said in elections that affect the whole country, as homelessness is increasing in many States in America.

Is homelessness not a major issue addressed in elections because:
• Politicians don’t think homeless people, or people who care about homeless issues, vote?
• Homelessness is not “where the money is,” unless the homeless are being exploited by the system and not helped by it?
• Politicians feel that homeless people are the “underbelly of society”; therefore, their issues don’t need to be addressed?
• Politicians have the option, and the power, to tune out the voices of people who are crying out for help?
• Politicians avoid making homelessness a “hot topic,” because it might awaken too many people to realize that they are paycheck away, and this could cause a political uprising?
• Politicians don’t want to fix the homelessness problem?
• Politicians are disconnected, and/or don’t care?
• Politicians think if they ignore the problem, it will magically go away, or people won’t notice the problem exists?
• They don’t feel like their election is contingent on this issue, and they don’t care about the people they are supposed to represent enough to address it?

Whatever the reason is for the neglecting of this issue, I am predicting that this issue is not going to be ignored much longer. This won’t be because of the goodness-of -heart of the majority of our elected officials, obviously. This will be because, across the country, particularly in gentrified areas, and particularly in New York City, the homeless numbers are swelling; and by virtue of the laws of physics, you can only sweep so much under a rug before an explosion happens and dirt is all over the room. With the epic numbers of homelessness in the city, and with the treachery people are faced with when they enter the homeless system, the issue demands to be addressed and solved.